Born of Our Hearts A Year Ago

A year ago today, our lives change and so did his. This is how it happened. We were getting ready to head to San Diego for Jim's work party. It was exactly 2:35 when I was about to get ready. The phone rang and the caller ID said "County of SD" which means one thing.....our Social Worker. When I answered the phone, the nice voice on the other side said "Hello, Mrs. Huston.......this is ______ (our SW's supervisor) and I have an emergency placement of a baby boy and your family is a 98% match." At this point in the conversation, my hands were shaking and my heart was pounding.........was this really happening. We've waited so long. We've had so many heartaches, and so many tears. This was real!! She read me a list of details (gender, ethnicity, medical information, and some brief info on BM), so I said "ok well let me talk with my husband and I will call you back. When do you need an answer?" Her reply shocked me even more, "He needs to be picked up from Polinsky Children's Center by 5:00pm. LET ME REMIND YOU THIS PHONE CALL HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER 2:30pm. I hung up the phone and walked into the living room where Jim was playing his PS3 soldier game. "Jim, can we talk?" As he rolled his eyes like he was being bothered and said "WHAT". I said "no you need to pause your game." He looked at me like what, this better be important. As I began to tell him about the phone call, he looked at me with huge eyes. I don't know what hit the floor first his mouth or the game controller. So we wrote a list of pros & cons about this situation. This type of adoption was risky (concurrent) and they were still looking for family members who would qualify to take him. We knew this risk, but felt like God had made us a match to take him and love him. I remember telling Jim "even if we only get him for a few months, we could be a Mom & Dad that he has never had". Of course I didn't want to think of it as short-term and I believed that this was an answer to a prayer prayed for many years. So we got dressed (for the party), headed down to Polinsky Children's Center and walked in at 4:30pm. I remember the receptionist saying "can I help you?" I was still full of anxious nerves and said "um we are here to pick up a baby." She asked which baby and I told her Fabian Thomas. "Oh he's such a cute baby. I will let them know in the back." Okay I will admit that it felt weird saying I'm here to pick up a baby, like we had ordered a pizza. We sat down and this nurse came out with a sheet of medical information. After she finished talking, we signed a paper and she said "a SW will bring him out shortly." I remember holding Jim's hand and feeling so nervous. I remember thinking, I am going to be a Mommy. Our lives are changing tonight. WOW!!! As this SW dressed in normal looking clothes with no name badge on walked out with this CUTE little baby, he said "Here's Fabian and handed him to me." I remember holding him for the first time. The SW brought a small suitcase out with clothes in it and a diaper bag with NO DIAPERS, but a few bottles in it. I asked for a few diapers and they went to get them. Came back out with a few diapers, and said "have a good weekend." Seriously, that's what he said. I remember as Jim laid him in the carseat, and I crawled in the backseat, how this little baby with brown eyes was looking at us. He was fussing a little, so I was playing his little bear and holding his fingers in my hand. I remember saying to Jim, "are you ready for this Daddy?" I think at this point we were both still so shocked at what had just happened, we didn't know how to feel. He fell asleep and I couldn't take my eyes off of him, as he looked so content. I made a promise in my heart to him at that moment, that I will forever take care of you and protect you.

That night when we got home from the party, we were tired but didn't want to sleep. I remember we both kept getting up to go check on him. I remember waking up the next morning thinking IS THERE REALLY A BABY IN THAT ROOM? That next day, many friends and family members showed up to bring goodies for us.

It's been a long year in the adoption process. Court hearings, Social Worker phone calls and the dreaded visits with his BM. But here we are today, one year from the day our lives changed. What an amazing year!!

He's such a perfect fit for our family. I couldn't imagine him with someone else. I know Jim & I have learned so much this year as new parents. God has blessed us beyond our dreams, we're living an answer to prayer and trusting God all the way. As the adoption process is toward the end, we still have months ahead until it's final. I am so thankful that day we chose to listen to God, and our hearts.

We do want to try to adopt a sibling for Thomas when this finalizes. Jim thinks Thomas needs a brother, but I think he needs a little sister. Either way, we just think we're going to need to do this again.